Electrical clock device



Jan. 11,1938. M. MME 2,105,050

ELECTRICAL CLOCK DEVICE Filed Oct. 50, 1933 Patented Jan. 11, 1938UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application October 30.

1933, Serial No. 695,907

In France November 4, 1932 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical clock devices, which includea warning signal device and which are adapted to be fed with currentfrom an electrical distribution system.

5 The clockwork mechanism may be of the usual type wherein a Ferrarisdisk'or induction motor drives through a speed reducing gear the axis ofthe spring barrel, thus ensuring a continuous winding of said spring.This disk or motor may also be utilized for winding up a weight used inplace of a spring.

According to a feature of my invention, the current with which the motorof the clock is fed serves to operate an electrical alarm device, suchas an electric bell and eventually an electric lamp,

connected to the current feeding means of said motor in shunt with saidmotor, in a particular manner which will be fully described in thefollowing disclosure.

59 Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described,with reference to the accompanying drawing, given merely by way ofexample, and in which:

Fig. 1 is anembodiment of the electrical connections of the differentorgans;

Fig. 2 is a detail view of a release device for starting the warningsystem. I

The invention concerns clockwork mechanisms of any conventional typeincluding a clockwork no proper and an electric motor "not the Ferrarisdisc type, for instance, for winding up said clockwork proper. A knownmechanism of this type is illustrated, by way of example, in Fig. 1 ofthe drawing. In this figure, reference character H indicates the mainspring of the clockwork mechanism proper, said spring having its outerend attached to a gear Iii and driving the minute hand H2 of the clockby means of pinion H3 and shaft H4, The hour hand H2 is driven n througha set of back gears H5. A spring escapement ZIG of a conventional typeregulates the movement of shaft H4 through gearing Ill- H8., The innerend of spring H0 is attached to shaft H9 by means of which it isrewound. Shaft 7, H9 is driven by the disc 20 of the electric motorthrough the intermediary of a suitable set of reduction gears iii.According to the present invention, the current from the electricaldistribution system that is fed to the coil 4| of the motor serving towind up the clock is utilized for operating a warning device (includinga coil 42, and a vibrating rod 43 for instance) connected in series witha lamp 44 or, more generally, with an impedance (self inductance,capacity, or resistance). The warning device is brought into play whencontact or switch 84 (Fig. 2) connected to the device through wires 8.'86 is closed, the movement of said contact being controlled by theclockwork mechanism, as it will be hereinafter described with referenceto Fig. 2. 5

This arrangement makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the coil42 of the warning signal device and consequently to reduce thedimensions of the various organs that are included in this device.

An impedance 46 is inserted in shunt with the terminals of the warningsignal device. When the warning signal device is brought into play bythe closing of contact 84, vibrating rod 43 releases switch member 41,which closes contact 48 under the action of spring 69 and insertsimpedance 46 in shunt with the alarm circuit.

When the device is supplied with alternating current, vibrating rod 43is kept moving until contact 84 is opened, which takes place adetermined interval of time after the warning signal device has beenbrought into play by the clockwork mechanism proper.

When contact 84 is opened, the warning signal device ceases to function,but lamp 44 remains lighted. This lamp is switched off when switch 41 isbrought back to its original position, for instance manually.

C'oil 46 may be disposed on the magnetic circuit of the motor of theclock either in the form of an independent electric circuit or in theform of an electric circuit in common with the windings of the motor.

Switch 41, or the relay that may be substituted therefor, may beutilized as a hand switch for switching on lamp 44 independently of theaction of the clockwork mechanism, by releasing switch 4'! through anysuitable means, for instance by exerting a pressure on small plate '53.

Fig. 2 shows a release device ensuring in a very 40 simple manner thefollowing operations, which are to be performed by all time measuringapparatus provided with a warning signal device, to wit: the closing ofa contact at a determined time of the day, the limiting to a given valueof the duration of the warning signal, the optional stopping of thewarning signal, and finally the bringing back of the parts to theirinitial position, so that the operation may be repeated.

This device makes use of the cam wheel 16 that is generally provided inmechanical alarm clocks. At the time of the signal, this wheel is givena translatory movement illustrated by arrow l'l, thus displacing lever19 by means of the forked end 18 thereof. The end 80 oi this lever thendepresses blades II and .2 in the direction of arrow 8!. As blade II ismore flexible than blade l2, this movement iirst closes contact '4 andtherefore brings into play the warning signal device, to which wires and06 are connected.

The bending of blade 82 in the direction oi arrow 88 then causes a pointI! carried by said blade to be inserted between the teeth of a wheel 88driven' by the clockwork mechanism. Bald wheel therefore drives,together with itself, point 81, blades "-42 being, for this purpose,pivoted about shaft 89. It follows that stop ll moves along sector 80.When this stop reaches the edge 92 of this sector, blades II and .2 arereleased and resume their positions with respect to each other and towheel 88. Consequently contact N is broken and point 81 is disengagedfrom between the teeth oi. said wheel II. The warning signal deviceceases to work. Stop ii is now applied against edge 92, thus preventingthe two blades "-82 from being brought back to their initial positionsunder the action of spring 04. Owing to the movement of cam wheel 10,which comes back gradually to its initial position, stop '8! is soonreleased and the system of blades "-82 is brought back to its initialposition.

In order to stop the working of the warning signal device, it sui'flcesto accelerate the movement of wheel 88. To this eiiect, this wheel iselastically connected to aitis 98 by means 01' spring 91, so that it canbe given a relative rotary move-' ment with respect to axis 96. Aplunger 220 is mounted in plate 22L When the plunger 220 is depressed,the lower end of the plunger 22! engages the upper end of a shaft 222,which is slidably mounted in lugs 223 and 224, which lugs are attachedto a supporting frame (not shown). Thus when the shaft 222 is caused tomove in the direction of the arrow 98 against the inclined plane 99(which rotates arm Hill in the direction of the arrow Hll), the group ofblades lll2 is driven aside by the arm I00, as in the case of theautomatic release, but more quickly.

While I have described what I deem to be practical and efilcientembodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do notwish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in thearrangement, disposition, and forms of the parts without departing fromthe principle of my invention as comprehended within the scope of theappended claims.

What I claim is 1. In aclocl': including a clockwork mechanism and anelectric alarm signal device having a circuit, the combination of twoflexible blades fixed together, at least one of said blades being bentwith an end normally out of contact with the end of the other blade,means for pivotally supporting said blades about an axis located in theplane in which both of these blades can be elastically bent, cooperatingcontacts, carried by said respective ends of said blades, electricallyinsulated from each other when said ends are normally out of contactwith each other, said contacts being inserted in said circuit so as tokeep it open when said blade ends are out of contact with each other, apivoting lever, means operative by said clockwork mechanism ior causingsaid lever to bend said blades at a predetermined time so as to closesaid circuit. a toothed member driven by said clockwork mechanism in adirection at right angles to said axis, means ior engaging one of saidblades with said toothed member, when said contacts are closed, so thatboth of said blades are caused to move in a direction at right angles tothat in which they have been bent, and are allowed tounbend as soon asthey have been moved past the edge of said lever, and means forreturning all the parts to their initial respective positions after theworking of the alarm device.

2. In aclock including a clockwork mechanism and an electric'alarmsignal device having a circuit, the combination of two flexible bladesfixed together, at least one of said blades being bent with an endnormally out of contact with the end of the other blade, means forpivotally supporting said blades about an axis located in the plane inwhich both of these blades can be elastically bent, cooperatingcontacts, carried by said respective ends of said blades, electricallyinsulated from each other when said ends are normally out of contactwith each other, said contacts being inserted in said circuit so as tokeep it open when said blade ends are out or contact with each other, apivoting lever, means operative by said clockwork mechanism for causingsaid lever to bend said blades at a predetermined time so as to closesaid circuit, a toothed wheel, having its axis parallel to said firstmentioned axis, arranged to be driven by said clockwork mechanism,means, carried by one of said blades, for operatively connecting it withsaid toothed wheel when said contacts are closed, so that both of saidblades are caused to rotate in a direction at right angles to that inwhich they have been bent and are allowed to unbend as soon as they havebeen rotated past the edge of said lever, and elastic means forreturning the parts to their initial positions after the working of thealarm device.

3. A clock according to claim 2 further comprising means, adapted to beoperated by hand, for rotating said toothed wheel at a speed higher thanthatimparted thereto by the clockwork mechanism, whereby the time ofworking of the electric alarm can be shortened, said means including alever adapted to engage at least one of said blades, and manual meansfor actuating said lever.

4. In an electric clock, the combination of an electric clockworkmechanism, means ior feeding electric current to said clockwork mechanism, an electric signal device connected to said current feeding meansin parallel with said clockwork mechanism, a vibrating element in saidsignal device, an electric lamp connected in series with said signaldevice, an impedance connected in shunt with said signal device,switching means inserted between said impedance and said signal deviceand adapted to be controlled by said vibrating element, and a switch inthe circuit of said signal device adapted to be controlled by we

